editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94International Correspondent Anthony Kuhn official base is Jakarta, Indonesia, where he opened NPR's first bureau in that country in 2010. From there, he has covered Southeast Asia, and the gamut of natural and human diversity stretching from Myanmar to Fiji and Vietnam to Tasmania. During 2013-2014, he is covering Beijing, China, as NPR's Louisa Lim is on fellowship.Prior to Jakarta, Kuhn spent five years based in Beijing as a NPR foreign correspondent reporting on China and Northeast Asia. In that time Kuhn covered stories including the effect of China's resurgence on rest of the world, diplomacy and the environment, the ancient cultural traditions that still exert a profound influence in today's China, and the people's quest for social justice in a period of rapid modernization and uneven development. His beat also included such diverse topics as popular theater in Japan and the New York Philharmonic's 2008 musical diplomacy tour to Pyongyang, North Korea.In 2004-2005, Kuhn was basedNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Anthony KuhnTue, 27 Sep 2016 12:46:05 +0000Anthony Kuhnhttp://kmuw.org
Anthony KuhnFor the past couple of decades, night owls with the munchies have flocked to a certain street in Beijing which is packed with all-night restaurants, sidewalks jammed with cars and a perpetual patina of rancid-smelling cooking oil on the sidewalks.One of the trendier restaurants on the block is called A Very Long Time Ago. The décor is upscale Paleolithic, with silhouettes of cavemen traipsing across the walls. The clientele is not so fossilized. They're mostly 20-somethings who roast skewers of food over hot coals.Young Chinese restaurant customers willing to pay for better service are leading a small-scale revival of tipping not seen in Chinese restaurants for decades. The trend began at this restaurant last October, and is so far confined to Beijing, Shanghai and other top-tier cities.Every few minutes at A Very Long Time Ago, a prerecorded message informs diners that if they like the service, they can use their smartphones to scan bar codes that the wait staff wear on their sleeves.Long Absent In China, Tipping Makes A Comeback At A Few Trendy Restaurantshttp://kmuw.org/post/long-criticized-china-tipping-makes-comeback-few-trendy-restaurants
73548 as http://kmuw.orgTue, 27 Sep 2016 08:38:00 +0000Long Absent In China, Tipping Makes A Comeback At A Few Trendy RestaurantsAnthony KuhnThe relationship between the U.S. and China these days is fraught with political tensions. But both countries are committed to sending more of their young people to study language and culture in each other's countries — and a component of that is sending more U.S. minority students to China.That's both to provide more students of color with the opportunity to study overseas, and to create a student body abroad that is more representative of U.S. diversity.According to China's education ministry, 21,975 American students studied in China in 2015.Jeffrey Wood, a resident of Washington, D.C., is at the forefront of this recent trend.Wood, 24, returned to Washington this summer after spending a year in Nanjing studying Mandarin, culture and foreign relations at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies. Wood says that during his sophomore year in high school, in 2009, he wanted to expand his horizons beyond his immediate community. At a teacher's suggestion, he decided toFor U.S. Minority Students In China, The Welcome Comes With Scrutinyhttp://kmuw.org/post/us-minority-students-china-welcome-comes-scrutiny
73221 as http://kmuw.orgSat, 17 Sep 2016 15:07:00 +0000For U.S. Minority Students In China, The Welcome Comes With ScrutinyAnthony KuhnChina was rattled physically and politically Friday by North Korea's nuclear test, its second this year and fifth overall. It caused a magnitude 5.3 seismic event that caused strong tremors in towns and cities on the border between the two countries, according to the Chinese media.But as with previous tests, it's unlikely to provoke a strong Chinese response.In a statement on its website, China's Foreign Ministry condemned Pyongyang's test, which it said "ignored widespread opposition within the international community." It added that Beijing "strongly urged North Korea to honor its pledges of nuclear disarmament, and obey the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.""At a time when the security situation on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia is extraordinarily complex, testing nuclear weapons is unwise," the official New China News Agency said in an opinion piece.However, Beijing did not signal any concrete measures in response, except a possible resumption of sixWhy China Wants To Squeeze North Korea A Little, But Not Too Muchhttp://kmuw.org/post/why-china-wants-squeeze-north-korea-little-not-too-much
72872 as http://kmuw.orgFri, 09 Sep 2016 15:53:00 +0000Why China Wants To Squeeze North Korea A Little, But Not Too MuchAnthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.G-20 Summit Wraps Up In Hangzhou, Chinahttp://kmuw.org/post/g-20-summit-wraps-hangzhou-china
72682 as http://kmuw.orgMon, 05 Sep 2016 09:03:00 +0000G-20 Summit Wraps Up In Hangzhou, ChinaAnthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.China Shows G20 World Leaders Its Temporarily Blue Skieshttp://kmuw.org/post/china-shows-g20-world-leaders-its-temporarily-blue-skies
72676 as http://kmuw.orgSun, 04 Sep 2016 21:03:00 +0000China Shows G20 World Leaders Its Temporarily Blue SkiesAnthony Kuhnhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEEgApvGm7w Autograph-seeking fans and journalists thronged China's newly minted Olympic sensation, 20-year-old swimmer Fu Yuanhui, at the Beijing airport on Tuesday.Her return from Rio was not triumphant because of the bronze medal she won, but because of the Olympic spirit she showed — and the dramatically new and different vision of sports and athletes that she suggested to a country in transition away from decades of a Soviet-style, state-run sports system.Fu, a resident of eastern Hangzhou city, became famous practically overnight, thanks to a CCTV5 interview after she qualified for the 100-meter backstroke final last week.Fu was ecstatic to hear from her interviewer that her semifinals time of 58.95 seconds was faster than she had thought. "Was I that fast?" she gasped, alternately gaping, beaming and bugging her eyes out.She described her grueling training regimen and said she had "expended my primordial energies" to get these results, a phraseChina Celebrates Bronze-Winning Olympic Swimmer's Spirithttp://kmuw.org/post/china-celebrates-bronze-winning-olympian-swimmers-spirit
71881 as http://kmuw.orgWed, 17 Aug 2016 09:06:00 +0000China Celebrates Bronze-Winning Olympic Swimmer's SpiritAnthony KuhnJust days after editors ended publication of China's leading liberal history journal last month, a new edition of the magazine is out again. But the original publishers are calling this a pirate edition — and they're preparing to fight it in court.The magazine, the Annals of the Chinese Nation, or Yanhuang Chunqiu in Chinese, is seen as the standard bearer of the embattled liberal wing of China's ruling Communist Party. The publication has made bold calls for democratic reforms and questions the party's version of history.The journal's predicament has triggered a sense of crisis among China's liberal intellectuals and journalists, who see little room left in their country for critical reporting and dissenting opinions.In March, President Xi Jinping demanded obedience from state media. Last month, the government shut down a slew of political columns on major Internet portals in a bid to enforce a ban on independent political reporting.The Annals' deputy editor in chief, Wang Yanjun,Amid Crackdown, China's Last Liberal Magazine Fights For Survivalhttp://kmuw.org/post/amid-crackdown-chinas-last-liberal-magazine-fights-survival
71582 as http://kmuw.orgWed, 10 Aug 2016 15:13:00 +0000Amid Crackdown, China's Last Liberal Magazine Fights For SurvivalAnthony KuhnAt first glance, it looks like an ordinary gym class at a public school in Yibin, a city of about a million people in southwest China's Sichuan province.But then you notice that the students are wearing signs: "Nitrate," "Sulfate," "Phosphate." In their game of tag, they chase the classmates they need to start a chemical reaction.This is how gym and chemistry classes are combined at the Cold Water Well Middle School. Upstairs, in a combined history and math class, students use statistics to find patterns in the rise and fall of nations.These experiments are the brainchild of former journalist Zhang Liang."What we're trying to tell them is that the real motivation behind all your studies is to help you realize how fascinating this world really is," he explains. "Once they get this, their own initiative will gradually emerge."Zhang's experiments are hardly an isolated phenomenon. From Confucian-style academies and home schooling to foreign Waldorf and Montessori models, a grassroots,In China, Some Schools Are Playing With More Creativity, Less Cramminghttp://kmuw.org/post/china-some-schools-are-playing-more-creativity-less-cramming
71455 as http://kmuw.orgMon, 08 Aug 2016 08:22:00 +0000In China, Some Schools Are Playing With More Creativity, Less CrammingAnthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.In China, Uber Merges With Rival Didi Chuxing, Creating Ride-Hailing Gianthttp://kmuw.org/post/china-uber-merges-rival-didi-chuxing-creating-ride-hailing-giant
71236 as http://kmuw.orgWed, 03 Aug 2016 09:30:00 +0000In China, Uber Merges With Rival Didi Chuxing, Creating Ride-Hailing GiantAnthony KuhnThe Panchen Lama — the second highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama — is performing an important ritual that has not taken place in Tibet for half a century, Chinese state media are reporting this week.In this elaborate, 12-day event, known as the Kalachakra Initiation, some devotees visualize themselves exploring a five-story palace. At the center of the palace is a green lotus petal, and on it is said to reside the Kalachakra deity, with blue skin, four faces and 24 arms.On Friday, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that some 50,000 faithful are expected to attend the Kalachakra Initiation at the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Xigaze, Tibet, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama.The ritual, which ends on July 24, is apparently being conducted with the blessing of China's ruling Communist party, despite the fact that the government is officially atheist and has traditionally held the Marxist view that religion is the "opium of the people." Previously, theIn Tibet, A Long-Banned Buddhist Rite Takes Place, But Not Everyone's Pleasedhttp://kmuw.org/post/tibet-long-banned-buddhist-rite-takes-place-not-everyones-pleased
70753 as http://kmuw.orgSun, 24 Jul 2016 13:11:00 +0000In Tibet, A Long-Banned Buddhist Rite Takes Place, But Not Everyone's PleasedAnthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.International Tribunal Rejects China's Claim To South China Sea http://kmuw.org/post/hague-rule-south-china-sea-dispute
70146 as http://kmuw.orgTue, 12 Jul 2016 09:09:00 +0000International Tribunal Rejects China's Claim To South China Sea Anthony KuhnFive years ago, the residents of a southern Chinese village drew the world's attention when they chased Communist Party officials out of their hamlet and elected a new leader.Now, the land disputes that spurred them to action remain unresolved, and the residents of Wukan village are rising up in protest once again after their elected leader was detained on corruption charges Saturday.Back in 2011, the events in Wukan were seen as a milestone, as a small Chinese community challenged local authorities and demanded democracy, at least at the village level. The villagers' demonstrations, the government's response and a resulting compromise between the two sides were considered models that might be copied and applied to the thousands of similar local disputes that erupt across the country every year.But the resumption of protests now suggests that Wukan's underlying problems were not fixed.On Tuesday, hundreds of students in tracksuits and elderly residents, some in wheelchairs, carriedA Rebellious Chinese Village Challenges The Authorities — Again http://kmuw.org/post/rebellious-chinese-village-challenges-authorities-again
69319 as http://kmuw.orgThu, 23 Jun 2016 14:16:00 +0000A Rebellious Chinese Village Challenges The Authorities — Again Anthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Hong Kong Bookseller Describes Harrowing Ordeal With Chinese Policehttp://kmuw.org/post/hong-kong-bookseller-describes-harrowing-ordeal-chinese-police
69034 as http://kmuw.orgFri, 17 Jun 2016 09:09:00 +0000Hong Kong Bookseller Describes Harrowing Ordeal With Chinese PoliceAnthony KuhnCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Chinese Billionaire Takes On Disney With His Own Theme Parkshttp://kmuw.org/post/chinese-billionaire-takes-disney-his-own-theme-parks
68049 as http://kmuw.orgWed, 25 May 2016 09:03:00 +0000Chinese Billionaire Takes On Disney With His Own Theme ParksAnthony KuhnChinese women Rui Cai and Cleo Wu gave birth to twins last month, following a successful in vitro fertilization. It wasn't simple.Cai took two eggs from Wu, added sperm from a U.S. sperm bank, had them put in her womb at a clinic in Portland, Ore., then returned to China to give birth.The lesbian couple is one of the first in China known to have used this form of assisted reproduction.The birth is seen as a sort of milestone in China, which has become a more tolerant place for gay couples over the past nearly four decades.However, same-sex couples are not allowed to marry in China, where policies and laws still favor traditional families. Only heterosexual, married couples are allowed to have children and, if needed, get access to reproductive services such as surrogacy.On a visit to Cai and Wu's apartment, the couple and their parents are cleaning up after dinner. Cai's mother is changing the babies' diapers and getting them to bed."You've got to believe that you will make your dreamUndaunted By China's Rule Book, Lesbian Couple Welcomes Their Newborn Twins http://kmuw.org/post/undaunted-chinas-rulebook-lesbian-couple-has-twins-surrogacy
67485 as http://kmuw.orgThu, 12 May 2016 09:09:00 +0000Undaunted By China's Rule Book, Lesbian Couple Welcomes Their Newborn Twins Anthony KuhnA strict new law governing foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in China may have some groups packing up and heading home if they can't meet the law's requirements or fall afoul of police who will have increased powers to monitor and control them.The controversial measure was passed into law on Thursday and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2017, affecting thousands of foreign NGOs.The new law requires all foreign NGOs to have an official Chinese sponsor or host organization. The groups may not raise funds in China and may not conduct or fund political activities. If police suspect illegal activity, they can shut down NGO events, inspect their offices and finances and question staff at any time.Foreign governments and rights groups have complained that the new law violates China's legal commitments to freedom of association, and that retarding the growth of civil society could increase economic inequality and social injustice in China.Ned Price, the U.S. National Security CouncilChina Passes Law Putting Foreign NGOs Under Stricter Police Controlhttp://kmuw.org/post/china-passes-law-putting-foreign-ngos-under-stricter-police-control
66886 as http://kmuw.orgThu, 28 Apr 2016 20:39:00 +0000China Passes Law Putting Foreign NGOs Under Stricter Police ControlAnthony KuhnFor more than a generation, health experts have hailed China's vaccination program as a success in eliminating preventable diseases like polio and tetanus. Advances in the country's public health have benefited from — and enabled — rapid economic growth.But since last month, a nationwide scandal involving the illegal resale of vaccines has dented public confidence in the program, ignited public anger at the government and added fuel to ongoing small-scale street protests by parents who believed vaccines have injured or sickened their children."The government must properly handle this issue and take responsibility to the end," chanted one group of protesters outside the offices of China's Health and Family Planning Commission on a recent afternoon."We support the communist party's leadership," was written on a banner carried by several protesters, trying to assure authorities of the parents' good intentions. Police were apparently unmoved and detained some of the protesters."TheWhy Chinese Parents Don't Necessarily Trust Childhood Vaccineshttp://kmuw.org/post/criminal-ring-china-sold-expired-vaccines
66743 as http://kmuw.orgMon, 25 Apr 2016 22:34:00 +0000Why Chinese Parents Don't Necessarily Trust Childhood VaccinesAnthony KuhnMyanmar reached a major milestone this week, as civilian leaders, including Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, replaced the generals who have been running the Southeast Asian nation, directly or indirectly, for more than a half century.The outgoing president, U Thein Sein, formally relinquished his office Wednesday to his successor, U Htin Kyaw.Thein Sein, an ex-general, has guided the country from military dictatorship to a fledgling democracy over the past five years. He now plans to head to a Buddhist monastery to be ordained as a monk, according to media reports.But few of Thein Sein's fellow generals and ex-generals will be heading into such an ascetic future.Despite suffering a crushing defeat in November's general elections, the generals had already drafted a constitution that still leaves them with a de facto veto in parliament and control of all security matters. They could even suspend or reverse the country's progress towards democracy if they don't like the way thingsMyanmar Gets Civilian Leaders, But The Generals Keep Close Watch http://kmuw.org/post/myanmar-gets-civilian-leaders-generals-keep-close-watch
65583 as http://kmuw.orgThu, 31 Mar 2016 18:36:00 +0000Myanmar Gets Civilian Leaders, But The Generals Keep Close Watch Anthony KuhnIt's not often that the governments of major nations are so concerned about hunting down the authors of anonymous online letters.But that is what's happening in China, as police have detained and questioned journalists and the families in China of overseas dissidents, in an apparent effort to find out who wrote a letter calling for President Xi Jinping to step down.The incident is the latest chapter in a heated debate about the limits of free speech, under a leader who has tried to accumulate personal power and enforce ideological conformity far more than any of his recent predecessors.The letter criticized precisely these actions. Claiming to speak for "loyal party members," it argued that Xi's personal accumulation of power had undermined the "collective leadership" of Communist Party elites and "weakened the power of all state organs."It added that Xi's personal involvement in economic policymaking had caused volatility in financial markets, while his assertive foreign policies hadChina Hunts For Author Of Anonymous Letter Critical Of Xi Jinpinghttp://kmuw.org/post/china-hunts-author-anonymous-letter-critical-xi-jinping
65427 as http://kmuw.orgMon, 28 Mar 2016 18:03:00 +0000China Hunts For Author Of Anonymous Letter Critical Of Xi JinpingAnthony KuhnThe annual session of China's legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), is an elaborate, theatrical gathering of China's rich, powerful and famous: Here you'll find generals, billionaires and movie stars — even basketball giant Yao Ming.When he's not running the Shanghai Sharks basketball team, the ex-Houston Rockets center is a deputy to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, or CPPCC — sort of like the legislature's upper house, but without the power to approve bills.There's also Pony Ma, who — when he's not here — runs the technology firm Tencent. He is estimated to be worth about $18 billion.And there's Tao Huabi, an illiterate peasant woman from southwest Guizhou Province, who built a multimillion-dollar chili sauce empire.Harder to find are signs that the Congress is much closer to fulfilling its touted role as an embodiment of popular sovereignty and socialist democracy.In this year's legislative session, which wraps up Wednesday, the nearly 3,000 NPCChina's Legislative Session: Many Stars, But Little Powerhttp://kmuw.org/post/chinas-legislative-session-many-stars-little-power
64848 as http://kmuw.orgWed, 16 Mar 2016 02:35:00 +0000China's Legislative Session: Many Stars, But Little Power